1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power consumption amount management system for calculating and managing the amount of electric power consumed by a device, a power consumption management method, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, reduction of the amount of electric power consumed during the use of an apparatus or device, such as a printer or a multifunction peripheral, has been demanded so as to reduce greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide. For this reason, there is a demand that the amount of electric power consumed during the use of the device is made visible to a user (so-called visualization).
In general, there is employed a system in which a plurality of copying machines (image forming apparatuses) each capable of measuring the amount of power consumption and a management apparatus for managing the copying machines are connected to a network. In such a conventional system, each of the copying machines outputs data concerning the amount of power consumption measured thereby in response to a request from the management apparatus (see e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-335026 (page 6, FIG. 2)). This type of system enables the management apparatus to grasp, for example, month-by-month records of power consumption histories of the respective copying machines in a centralized manner.
Further, conventionally, a system is employed in which a plurality of apparatuses and a power consumption calculation device are connected to a network. In this type of system, the power consumption calculation device receives power consumption amount information from an apparatus capable of measuring the amount of power consumption and applies the received power consumption amount information to calculation (estimation) of the amount of power consumption by another apparatus (see e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-072870 (page 6, FIG. 1)).
However, in the above-mentioned conventional systems, when a power consumption calculation section is faulty, it is impossible to appropriately manage power consumption amount information on target devices or apparatuses. For example, in the conventional systems, data on the amount of power consumption to be measured during a period up to completion of repair of the power consumption calculation section by part replacement and adjustment can be lost. Further, if the power consumption calculation section is removed, or if a power meter is defective in characteristics, or if a malfunction in which a specific range of output is abnormal is caused due to aging, it is impossible to appropriately manage the power consumption amount information. Therefore, in the conventional systems, it is difficult to perform detailed management of power consumption amount information and make wide use of the same.